Suriyansh Vaidya, CEO of Vaidya Energy, has called artificial intelligence (AI) a key tool to improve traffic management, road safety and auto business operations in Nepal.
Speaking at NAIMA’s "AI and Automotive Technology: Driving the Future of Mobility" dialogue in Kathmandu, he said his company is already training staff to use AI for research, analysis and new work methods, making teams more self‑reliant and data‑driven.
Vaidya explained that modern vehicles carry sensors and connected hardware that can collect detailed usage and road information. Ride analytics can then guide drivers on safer, more efficient driving, how to save energy, when to charge and which charging point to use on a given route. He pointed to features such as *pothole alerts* on electric scooters and AI‑assisted route planning and traction control that adapt to road and weather conditions.
He argued that AI should also support the automobile business side. By linking AI with ERP systems, dealers can forecast spare parts demand, plan stock levels better and reduce costs, allowing savings to be passed on to customers.
On autonomous driving, Vaidya cautioned that Nepal’s rough roads, unclear lane markings and irregular traffic make direct use of foreign training data difficult. He stressed the need for local research and locally relevant datasets before self‑driving systems can be safely deployed here.
Vaidya urged closer cooperation between the private sector and research institutions, and called for data‑led transport planning in dense urban areas like the Kathmandu Valley. Simply building wider roads will not solve congestion, he said; authorities must use vehicle and traffic data to decide where to invest in public transport, bus lanes and other infrastructure.
He suggested that anonymised vehicle data could be shared with infrastructure ministries and agencies to help identify road defects such as potholes and support targeted maintenance. For him, the real goal of future mobility is not just selling more vehicles but moving people safely, comfortably and efficiently, with AI, research and public–private collaboration shaping the solutions.
Writes on vehicle pricing, taxation and the Nepali auto market from ongoing tracking of distributor price lists. Editorial policy.
